Inflatable packaging materials are used for packaging a variety of articles for shipping, storage, and other purposes, to protect the articles from damage. Increases in the speed, efficiency, and effectiveness of packaging such articles can prove advantageous. Accordingly, a need exists to provide an inflatable packaging material that is quickly and easily inflatable and provides effective cushioning and protection for articles packaged using the packaging material. The present device and method are provided to address the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior packaging materials of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.